Bell-ringer for locomotives.



1. HOWE. BELL RINGER FOR LOCOMOTIVES,

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8.19l5- 1,231,351, Patented June 26, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1m NORRIS PEYERS cm. momuwa. w/lSHIHGm/v. u. c.

J. HOWE.

BELL RINGER FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. n. 1915.

1,231,357, Patented Jmie 26, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. HOWE.

BELL RINGER FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FIL'ED MAII.8. I9I5.

1,231,357 Patented June 26, L917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- I T J. .L

J'OI-IN' HOWE, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

BELL-RINGER FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

Application filed March 8, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Hown, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and use ful Improvements in Bell-Ringers forLocomotives, of which the following is a specification. r

This invention relates to bell ringers of a type adapted for use inringing the bell of a locomotive. More particularly the inven tionrelates to improvements in means for controlling the movements of abell.

Great difficulty is experienced with present bell ringers, owing to thetendency of the bell to turn completely over after being actuated in agiven angular direction, which action interferes with the successfulopera tion of the bell and the regularity of the sounds emitted thereby.When the compressed fluid which actuates the bell-ringing mechanism isadmitted thereto in such a limited degree as to prevent the bell fromturning over, it is found that the pressure is generally not sufficientto start the bell from rest, and some supplementary means, such as abell rope, must be employed for that purpose.

It is the purpose of the present invention to overcome the abovedifliculties and many others, and my principal object is to provideimproved means for preventing the bell from turning completely overafter it has been actuated. A further object is to provide afluid-actuated bellringer to which the compressed fluid may be admittedin any desired degree sufficiently to readily start the bell from restand actuate the same, without danger of the bell turning over. Anotherobject is to provide means for actuating the bell and then bringing thebell to rest after it has passed through the desired are of movement.Still another object is to provide a bell ringer actuated by compressedfluid which will operate automatically to ring the bell continuouslywithout turning over, while the supply of compressed fluid is admittedthereto. The mechanism which retards the upward movement of the bell,also acts to retard the downward movement of the return stroke.

These and other objects of the invention will be set forth moreparticularly in the following specification, taken with the aceompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention isillustrated.

Specification of Letters Patent.

limiting position of the bell in its movement; and

Patented June as, 19 1?. Serial No. 13,058.

In the drawings,-

Figure 1 is an elevation of a bell and bell frame with my improved bellringer in operative relation thereto, the bell being shown in normalinoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view the bell ringer, taken parallel tothe view shown in Fig. 1, certain elements being shown in elevation, theposition of the bell crank and operating mechanism corresponding to theposition shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the upper portion of the bell ringingmechanism, taken at right angles to the view shown-in Fig. 1, showingthe angular position of the bell crank when the bell is in normalposition at rest;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the sliding block or wedge;

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a cap which is adapted to coact withthe wedge member shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the bell ringer, being an enlargement of theview shown in Fig. 1, with the bell-actuating mechanism in a positioncorresponding to one upper angular through Fig. 8 is an elevational viewtaken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 7, with the lowerportionthereof in section.

Referring to the drawings: The usual bell frame 10 is shown mounted ontop of a locomotive or other support 11, and the arms of said bell frameare provided with alining journal bearings .12 and 13, in which arejournaled the bearings 1-1 and 15, respectively, of the bell yoke 16.The yoke 16 is of the usual form, comprising a U-shaped portion,extending transversely to the axis of the bearings 14 and 15, to themiddle portion of which the bell 17 is rigidly connected. As will bewell understood by those skilled in the art, the bell yoke 16 and bell17 are so supported and arranged that the bell normally occupies aposition in a vertical plane as shown in Fig. l, and automaticallyreturns to said position by virtue of its weight. The bell tongue 18 ispivotally mounted in the bell on an axis parallel to the axis of thebearings 14; and 15, so that when the bell yoke is rotated in itsbearings in either direction, said tongue will strike the bell. andsound the same. A

compressed air shaft 19 is formed integrally with the bearing 14 andextends outwardly therefrom, having rigidly secured to the end thereof abell crank lever 20, which is provided with a threaded aperture 21,adapted to beengaged by a set screw for forming said rlgid connection.The other extremity of the bell crank lever 20 is operatively connectedto my improved bell ringer in the manner hereinafter described.

Secured to the arm of the bell frame, beneath the bell crank lever 20,is a bracket 25 having an arcshaped portion 26, which conforms to thearm of the bell frame and is secured thereto by means of the bolt 27 andthe stud 28. The bracket 25 is also provided with a downwardly extendingflange 29, which is rigidly connected to the cylinder 30 by means of astud 31. A piston 32 1S reciprocally mounted in the chamber 33 of thecylinder 30, and said chamber is enlarged at its lower extremity 35 toprevent the formation of shoulders on the walls of the chamber at thelower limit of movement of the piston 32. The piston 32 is provided withthe usual piston ring 36 and the lower end of said piston is providedwith a central, downwardly-extending projection 37, which is adapted toengage the upper extremity of the valve stem 38, which is reciprocallymounted in the lower end of the cylinder 30, and which controls thevalve 39 mounted in the chamber 40 of the cap 41, which threadedlyengages the lower end of the cylinder. The valve stem, 38 has theopposite sides thereof milled off, so as to provide apertures 42 whichform a communication between the chamber 40 and the chamber 33 of thecylinder when the valve 39 is in the position shown, for instance, inFig. 3. A duct 43 communicates with the chamber 40 and the lower wallsof said duct are threaded to be engaged by a pipe 44, which communicateswith the compressed fluid supply, such as a tank of the air brakesystem, and the pipe 44 is provided with a valve 45 by means of whichthe admission of compressed fiuid to the cylinder 30 is controlled.

It will be apparent that when the valve 45 is opened to admit compressedfluid to the chamber 40, the valve 39 being in 1ts open positioncorresponding to the lowermost position of the piston 32, as shown inFig. 3, said compressed fluid will pass upwardly through the apertures42 into the enlarged portion 35 of the chamber 33, and thereby operateto drive the piston 32 upwardly in the cylinder 30. During the firstportion of this upward movement of the piston 32, the pressure of thecompressed fluid on the upper and lower sides of the valve and valvestem will be substantially equal, so that said valve will remain in theposition shown in Fig. 3 until the lower extremity of the piston 32 haspassed the port 46 which I provide in the cylinder wall, and whichcommunicates with the atmosphere. When the piston passes the port 46 soas to provide a communication between the chamber 33 and the atmosphere,the pressure upon the upper and lower sides of the valve and valve stemwill no longer be equal and said valve will move upwardly to close theapertures 42, whereupon the pressure upon the lower face of the pistonwill cease. I employ the piston 32 for actuating the bell crank 20 in amanner hereinafter to be described.

Formed integrally with the. upper portion of the cylinder 30 are twooppositelydirected flanges 50, which are adapted to be secured tocorresponding flanges 51 of a guide member 52 by means of bolts 53 andnuts 54. The guidemember 52 extends vertically upward in alinement withthe piston 32, and is provided with a vertically-extending groove orslot 55 which servesas a guideway for the sliding block or wedge member56, which has an inclined wedging surface 57 formed thereon. The wall ofthe guide member 52 is provided with a vertically-extending slot 58,which is adapted to be engaged by the connecting rod pin 59. The pin 59extends through said slot. and its inner threaded extremity engages thethreaded aperture 60in the wedgernember 56, thereby forming a rigidconnection therewith. A

washer 61 is mounted on the pin'59 and is adapted to slide upon theplane surface 62, which is formed, on the guide member around the slot58. The pin 59 also has ro-' tatably mounted thereon the connecting rod63, which is retained in position on said pin, adjacent the washer. 61,by the nut 64 and cotter-pin 65. The connecting rod 63 is formed in twoparts, 63 and 63 ,the adj acent extremities of which are oppositelythreaded for engagement with a turn-buckle 66 by means of which theeffective length of the connecting rod may be adjusted. The turn-buckle66 may be retained in adjusted position by lock nuts 67 The upperextremity of the connecting rod 63 is provided with a hub portion 68,which is centrally apertured and rotatably mounted on a belt or pin 69,which engages the lower extremity of the bell crank lever 20. The boltor pin 69 is provided intermediate its extremities with a fixed collar70, which abuts against the adjacent portion of the crank arm 20, and anut 71 engages said pin at the other side of said crank arm. Theconnecting rod ti'ally semicircular projection 75 formed on the lowerend of the wedge member 56 when said piston and said wedge member are intheir lowermost positions. It will be apparent from the precedingdescription that when the piston 32 is actuated to move upwardly in themanner previously described, the wedge member 56 will be projectedupwardly in its guide and thereby operate the crank arm 63 to rotate thebell crank and thereby actuate the bell. The lower wall 76 of the slot58 is so arranged as to act as a stop to limit the upward movement ofthe piston 32 and prevent the same from being projected from the chamber33 b virtue of its velocity. The port 46 in the cylinder wall should beso located that the lower extremity of the piston 32 will pass and openit before the upper extremity of the piston engages the stop 76. It willbe seen, however, that the sliding member 56 isentirely disconnectedfrom the piston 32, and after said piston has come to rest against thestop 76, the sliding block or wedge 56 will continue its upward movementand carry the bell crank 20 and the bell 17 ment. When the bell ringeris in its normal position in a vertical plane at rest, the bell crank 20should be slightly off-center, as shown in Fig. 4, so that when thepiston 32 is actuated to move upwardly the sliding wedge member 56 andthe bell crank 20 will start freely from rest.

For the purpose of limiting the upward movement of the sliding wedgemember 56 and bringing the bell to rest after it has passed through thedesired arc of movement, I provide the upper part of the guide member 52with two transversely-extending parallel studs or pins 80, upon which isslidably mounted the cap member or brake shoe 81. The cap 81 is providedwith two supporting flanges 82, which are adapted to. rest upon thewalls of the guide member 52 at each edge of the guideway 55, as shownin F 2, and said cap is further provided with two laterally-extendingflanges 83 which are apertured at 84 for engagement with the pins 80.The outer extremities of theapertures 84 are enlarged, as shown at 85,and coil springs 86 seat therein upon the pins 80 and abut at theiropposite ends against the nuts 87, which threadedly engage the pins 80and are prevented from disengagement therefrom by pins 88. The guidemember 52is provided at each side of the guideway 55 with upper andlower outwardly-projecting flanges 90 and 91, respectively, which bearagainst the lateral sides of the cap 81 toprevent lateral displacementthereof, and which also serve as guideways for the projecting flanges83, so as to support the cap 81 for movement with respect to the guidemember 52 against the compression of the springs 86. It will be seenthat the flanges 82 are so related to the body portion of the cap memberas to provide an inclined, wedging surface 92,

through the desired arc of move-.

which is adapted to coact with the similarly inclined wedging surface 57formed on the wedge member 56, when said wedge member passes upwardly inthe guideway 55. The lower lugs 91 of the guide member have securedtheretothe links 95, which extend transversely therefrom and are securedto the portion 26 of the bracket 25, thereby firmly supporting the guidemember and the parts carried thereby with respect to the bell frame.

hen the parts of the bell operating mechanism are in normal inoperativeposi tion, as shown in Fig. 3, for example, the wedge member 56 isdisplaced slightly from the brake shoe or cap 81, so that when thecompressed fluid is admitted to the chamber 33 to actuate the piston,the wedge member 56 may start freely from rest and move upwardly a shortdistance before it engages the brake shoe 81. As the upward movementcontinues, the wedging surface 57 will coact with the wedging surface 92on the brake shoe and force the brake shoe outwardly against thecompression of the springs 86 until the friction created by such actionis sutficient to overcome the momentum of the moving parts whereupon thebell crank 20 and the bell 17 will be brought to rest and the bell willbe prevented from turning over or passing to an inverted position. Aftercoming to rest, the weight of the bell, acting through the lever armbetween its center of gravity and the axes of the bearings lt and 15,will be sufficient to disengage the wedge member 56 from the brake shoe81 and return the wedge member and bell in a reverse movement towardtheir normal inoperative positions.

In the operation of the device the engineer or other person operates thevalve 45 to admit the compressed fluid to the chamber 40, whereupon thecompressed fluid will pass upwardly through the apertures 41-2 aroundthe valve stem into the enlarged portion 35 of the chamber 33, andactuate the piston 32 in an upward movement in the cylinder. The upperextremity of the piston being in engagement with the projecting lug 7formed on the wedge. member, said piston will actuate said wedge memberand drive the same upwardly in the guideway When the lower end of thepiston passes the port 36, the pressure of the compressed fluid upon theupper side of the valve 39 and the valve stem 38 will no longer be equalto the pressure upon the lower sides thereof, because of the escape ofthe compressed fluid to the atmosphere, and thereupon the valve 39 willclose the apertures 42, and the pressure upon the piston 32 will cease.If the momentum of the piston 32 is not otherwise overcome, said pistonwill be brought to rest upon engaging the stop 76, and will thus beprevented from being projected from the chamber 33. The sliding block 56is, however, free to move away from the piston and the relatively largemomentum imparted to said; sliding block during the upward movementofthe piston, will be sufiicient to carry said block and the partsactuated thereby beyond the position which'they occupy when the pistoncomes to rest, so that said block will continue its upward movement androtate. the bell 17 throughthe desired arc of movement to sound the.same. Asthe wedge member 56 moves upwardly, it will engage the brakeshoe 81, and the pressure of said brake shoe upon the said member willincrease as the wedge member continues its movement until finally thewedge member and the bell actuated thereby will be brought to rest. Itwill be apparent that the nuts 87 may be adjusted on the pins 80, inorder to provide a degree of pressure on the brake shoe 81 which willbring the wedge member 56and the bell 17 to rest at the desired point.After the bell has been brought to rest, its

.weight will be suflicient to return the wedge member and parts actuatedthereby toward the normal position illustrated in Fig. 3, until finallyas the bell crank 20 is swinging through the vertical plane, the wedgemember 56 will have driven the piston 32 to such position that the valve39 will be again opened by the engagement of the projection 37 with theupper extremity of the valve stem 38. The compressed fluid will be againadmitted to the chamber 33 and will again actuate the piston 32 in anupward direction, but the momentum of the bell in its downward swingwill have carried the bell crank 20 beyond the head center position to apoint on the opposite side thereof from that which it occupied in thebeginning of the previous stroke, so that as the piston 32 movesupwardly, the bell crank 20 will be actuated to rotate the bell in theopposite direction of rotation until it is again brought to rest by theaction of the brake shoe 81. In this manner the bell is automaticallyactuated to rotate. alternately in opposite directionswithout furtherattention 011 the part of the engineer or other attendant.

If the valve 39 does not open promptly when the bell is passing throughits lowermost position, the connecting rod 63 may be adjnstedby means ofthe turn-buckle 66 so that the wedge member 56 and piston 32 will bedriven downwardly the proper distance to suflicien-tly open the valve39. It will, of course, be apparent that the piston may return bygravity before being projected downwardly upon the reverse stroke of thewedge member 56, but the weight of said piston alone is not sufiicientto open the valve 39 against the pressure of the compressed fluid in thechamber and said valve will not open until actuated by the wedge member56, which is actuated in its return stroke "frame, a bell rotatively bytheweight of the bell. It will also be apparent that .my improved bellringer will automatically start the bell from rest and continue theoperation of same without any precise adjustment of the valve inadmitting the compressed fluid to the. apparatus, or without the use ofany supplementary means to start the bell from rest.

Although I have. shown and described a particular form of my apparatus,it will be understood that it may be embodied in various other forms,and that I contemplatevarious changes and arrangements of parts withoutdeparting from, the scope. of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described, a bell pivoted on ahorizontal axis, a movable part actuated when said bell is operated, anda member frictionally engaging said movable part for limiting theangular movement of said bell.

2. In a device of the class described, a bell suspended in; said frame,means for ringing said bell, and a friction brake operative after apredeter mined movement of said bell to cushion said bell and limit theangular movement thereof.

3. In a device of' the class described, a pivotally mounted bell, amovable member movable with said bell, a brake shoe adapted to engageautomatically said movable member, and means for varying the pressure ofsaid brake shoe on said movable member.

i i In a device. of the class described, a bell frame, a bell rotatablysuspended in said bell frame, means for ringing said bell, and afriction brake comprising co-acting wedging surfaces for preventing saidbell from swinging over and above its axis.

5, In a device of the class descrlbed, a rotatably mounted bell, meansfor ringing said bell comprising a sliding block, means operativelyconnecting said sliding block with said bell to rotate the same, saidsliding block having a wedging surface formed thereon, and meanscoacting with said wec ging surface to bring said block to rest 6. In adevice of the class, described, a rotatably mountedbell, means forringing said bell comprising asliding block, means operativelyconnecting said sliding block with said bell to rotate the same, and abrake to limit the movement of said sliding block and to limit theangular movement ofsaid bell.

7. In a device of the class described, a

rotatably mounted bell, means for ringing said bell comprising a slidingblock, a guide for said shdmg block, means operatively connectin saidsliding block with said bell b to rotate the same,sa1d shdmg blockhaving a wedging surface formed thereon, and a plate resiliently mountedonsaid gulde to coast with. the wedg ng. sarfa ee,

8. In a device of the class described, a frame, a bell rotativelysuspended in said frame, means to impart a rotative impulse to saidbell, a movable part actuated by said bell ringing means, and aresiliently mounted brake shoe located in the path of and arranged togrip said movable part to limit the movement thereof.

9. In a device of the class described, a r0- tatively mounted bell,means for intermittently imparting a rotative impulse to said bell, saidmeans comprising a sliding block, and a brake shoe adapted to engage andretard said sliding block to limit the movement of said block and saidbell.

10. In a device of the class described, an angularly movable bell, amovable member actuated upon movement of said bell, a brake shoe adaptedto engage frictionally said movable member, resilient means ar ranged toeffect an increasing resistance of said brake shoe to the movement ofsaid movable part, and means to vary the effect of said resilient means.

11. In a device of the class described, a pivotally mounted bell, meansto ring said bell, a movable part actuated by the operation of saidringing means, a brake member adapted to frictionally engage saidmovable part to bring said bell to rest, and means to adjust thepressure of said brake member.

12. In a device of the class described, bell ringing means comprising aslidably mounted member, guides for said member, a brake shoe supportedby said guides and adapted to engage frictionally said slidable member,transversely extending members upon which said brake shoe is slidablymounted, and resilient means cooperating with said last named members topress said brake shoe toward said slidable member.

13. In a device of the class described, a bell frame, a bell. rotativelysuspended in said frame, a bracket attached to said frame, bell ringingmeans supported by said bracket, said bell ringing means comprising amovable member and a guide for said member, said member having aninclined wedging surface, and a resiliently mounted. member having asimilarly inclined surface adapted to engage said Wedging surface aftera predeterminedmovement of said movable member.

14. In a device ofthe class described, a pivotally mounted bell, amovable part actuated upon movement of. said bell, and a braking meanscomprising parts adapted to grip said movable part and thereby offer anincreasing resistance to the continued movement of said bell after apredetermined an gular movement thereof.

15. In a device of the class described, a bell frame, a bell rotativelysuspended in said frame, a crank for actuating said bell, a slidablymounted member, a connecting rod pivotally connected to said slidablymounted member and to said crank, a resiliently mounted member adaptedto engage and limit the movement of said movable member, and actuatingmeans adapted to intermittently engage said slidably mounted member.

16. In combination with a rotatably mounted bell, a sliding blockoperatively connected with said bell and actuated when said bell isrotated, said sliding block hav ing a wedging surface formed thereon,and means coacting with said wedging surface to bring said block to restand thereby limit the movement of said bell.

17. In combination with a rotatably mounted bell, a sliding blockoperatively connected to said bell and actuated when said bell isrotated, a guide for said sliding block, said sliding block having agripping surface formed thereon, and a plate resiliently mounted on saidguide to coact with said gripping surface.

18. In combination with a pivotally mounted bell, a slidably mountedmember operatively connected to said bell to move when said bell isactuated, guides for said member, a brake shoe supported by said guidesand adapted to engage frictionally said slidable n ember, transverselyextending members upon which said brake shoe is slidably mounted, andresilient means cooperating with said last-named members to press saidbrake shoe toward said slidable member.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

JOHN HOWE.

Witnesses E. J. BABBITT, J. A. CARNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

